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November 22, 1973

Report, Embassy of Hungary in North Korea to the Hungarian Foreign Ministry

This document was made possible with support from ROK Ministry of Unification

Le Dong, the DRV ambassador in Pyongyang, recently had a conversation with the GDR ambassador in Pyongyang. Considering the importance of the conversation, on November 10, at a joint shooting party, Comrade Everhartz informed [the diplomats of] the “seven” [members of the Soviet bloc] in detail.


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The situation created by [the joint statement made by North and South Korea] last July 4 caused problems in the
Korean People's Army [emphasis in the original]. Many high-ranking [military] leaders disagreed, and still disagree, with the [policy] line of peaceful unification; they see no way out other than a new military action. One year later, these leaders feel that they were proven right when the dialogue [between North and South Korea] reached a crisis. In order to fully enforce the party's policy, immediately after the September plenum, 22,000 officers were called to a military aktif [special meeting] that discussed [these issues] for several days. Kim Il Sung's main aim was to underline the correctness of the policy hitherto pursued and to call attention to the changes, i.e., to the fact that the country faced a new situation and was at a crossroads: either it would be unified or there would be two Koreas. Kim Il Sung made a speech at the aktif and took a stand in favor of the line of peaceful national unification.


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Although contact was established between North and South, this occurred just when
Sino-Korean military cooperation [emphasis in the original] became more intense. According to information available to the Vietnamese, many secret high-ranking Chinese military delegations visited the DPRK, and the Chinese made substantial military promises during these discussions. China promised to provide the DPRK with types of military equipment that were hitherto unavailable to it. There was also some talk that the DPRK might also receive tactical nuclear weapons in the future. The Chinese side already provided [the DPRK] with the means to establish a defensive missile system.


[…]


János Taraba
acting ambassador

평양 주재 베트남민주공화국 대사 리동이 최근 평양 주재 동독대사와 대화를 나누었다. 대화의 중요성을 고려하여, 11월 10일, 사격대회에서 에버하르트 동지가 [소련 블록의 구성원] “7개국[Seven]”[의 외교관들]에게 자세한 내용을 전달함.

 

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지난 7월 4일의 남북공동성명으로 인해 조선인민군 내부에 문제가 생겼다. 많은 고위급 군부 지도자들이 평화통일의 정치적 노선에 반대했으며, 여전히 반대하고 있다. 새로운 군사적 행동 외에는 타개할 방법이 없는 것으로 보인다. 일년 후 남북간의 대화가 위기에 달하자 이들 지도자들은 그들이 옳았다는 것이 증명되었다고 생각하고 있다. 당의 정책을 확실히 이행하기 위해 9월 전원회의 이후 22,000명의 공직자들을 즉시 소집하여 몇 일간 이 문제를 논의하는 특별 군사회의를 가졌다. 김일성의 목적은 그 간의 정책적 정당성을 강조하고, 국가가 새로운 국면에 있으며, 조국이 통일이냐 분단이냐의 갈림길에 있다는 사실에 주의를 집중하게 하는 것이었다. 김일성은 이 회의에서 평화통일 노선에 무게를 둔 연설을 하였다.

 

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남북간의 접촉이 이루어졌지만, 이는 중국과 조선의 군사 협력이 강화될 시기 잠시뿐이었다. 베트남으로부터의 정보에 따르면, 중국의 고위 군 대표단이 비밀리에 북조선을 방문했고, 그들은 상당한 군사적 지원을 약속했다. 중국은 조선민주주의인민공화국에 유래 없는 군장비 제공을 약속했고, 장래에는 전술 핵병기도 제공할 수 있다는 이야기를 했다. 중국은 이미 조선민주주의인민공화국에 미사일 방어시스템을 구축할 수 있는 수단을 제공한바 있다.

 

[…]

 

대리대사 János Taraba

 

 

 

 

 

Diplomats of the Soviet Bloc discuss relations between the two Koreas, and what would be necessary for reunification. Sino-Korean relations, and Chinese military aid to the DPRK are also discussed.


Document Information

Source

MOL, XIX-J-1-j Korea, 1973, 69. doboz, 81-20, 00804/7/1973. Obtained and translated for NKIDP by Balazs Szalontai.

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Original Uploaded Date

2011-11-20

Type

Report

Language

Record ID

111467

Donors

ROK Ministry of Unification